Internal-combustion engine.



A. WINTON;

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13,1912.

Patented Nov. l?, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. WINTON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED M1013, 1912.

1,117,788, Patented NOV.17,1914.

2. SHEETS-SHEET 2.

to the accompanyin WIN'I'ON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR TO WINTON' GAS ENGINE AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application led December 13, 1912. .Serial No. 736,600.

To all whom it may concern l Be it known that l, ALEXANDER llN'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein drawing.,

rlhis invention re ates to improvements in internal combustion engines, of that type in which heavy grades of oil are used as a fuel. i

The present invention is an improvement upon the construction in my pending application Serial No. 731,000, filed November 12th'1912, and the object of this improvement is to provide electrical means for controlling the admission of the oil or fuel to be vaporized and ignited7 and to provide a commutator controlling the velectrical device so constructed that the time of the admission of the oil in the cycle of the engine can be controlled, e., advance or retard the time of admission in the cycle of the engine, and, furthermore, to so construct the commutator that the amount of oil or fuel admitted can be controlled by the commu- -tator and thus vary the speed and power of the engine.`

By means of this improvement all complication, wear and noise ofcams is avoided, making the operation of the;fuel controlling element or valve noiseless and under complete controlthrough the means of a `commutator.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional view of an engine cylinder with my invention applied thereto. 2 is an enlarged face view 0of the plurality contact member ofthe commutator. Fig. 3 is a side view of the commutator. Fi 4 is an end and sectional viewof the we geshaped member 'for controlling the position of the contact or rotating member of the commutator. Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of the rotating member of the commutator carrying the adjustable contact. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig. 5

on the line 6 6. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-,7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a modication showing a plurality of kfuel admission valves or elements controlled by an Y *electrical device. Fig. 9 is ya reduced sectional view on the line9-9-of Fig. 8.

- plosions to va This improvement is designed to be used in connection with a heated fuel vaporizer which is provided for each engine cylinder whether there be one or more. VThe improvement here shown is constructed for a six cylinder engine, but the invention can be carried` out in connection with an engine having one or any number of cylinders, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring now tothe drawings, 1 is the combustion chamber or end of an internal combustion engine. As here shown, it is of the four cycle type, the valves 2 and 3 cont trolling respectively the inlet of air and the exhaust of the products of combustion. This type of engine is so fully understood by those skilled in the art that further description or illustration is unnecessary.

For the purpose of illustrating a vaporizer and igniter in connection with my present improvement, I show herein a vaporizer and igniter of the type disclosed in my beforementioned pending application, whichcomprises a member 4, having electrical connections 5, with a suitable electrical source (not shown) by means of which the vaporizer and igniter is initially electrically heated, but, as stated in that application, after the engine has become thoroughly heated up and the vaporizer^suiiiciently heated by the exorize and ignite the charge independent o current, the electric current may be cut olf until it is again needed for the initial starting of the engine. The improvement, 'however, ma beused with other specific Itypes of vaporizers and heaters, as my co-pending application is not limited to any particular type of vaporizer, and the specific form here shown is only for illustrative purposes so far as the present improvement is concerned.

No claim is herein made for a vaporizer and igniter since this is made the subjectmatter ofthe before-mentioned pendinglapplication.

This present improvement relates tothe provision ofv an electrically `operated device for controlling the admission of the oil or fuel and a commutator controlling the elecl trical device. y

The particular form of electrical devlce shown and the particular form of commutator here shown are only intended as illustrative of one of the mechanical expressions of .the inventive idea and to which specific the heat fronti the electricl forms I do not limit myselfso :liar asthe scope of this invention 'isconcerned The type of mechanical devices here selected for illustrative purposes. to control the admission ofthe uelis a solenoid Aul As here arranged, the coil 6 of the solenoid is connected by a wire `7, to asuit'able electrical generator 8, of a battery or other form,

and the other pole-of the electrical generator 8 is grounded by means of la" wirei9. vThe i ,other end -10 ofthe coil (iis connected with' an adjustable member l1 of the commutator The electric 4circuit may be closed or proper'position in the' said circuit. As here" shown, this l'solenoid Av issupported upon l .a hollow member 12, which is screw-threaded inte' the cylinder head 15, similar to the -Well-known spark-plug no w. so commonly used in .explosion'engines The' lower end ofthis tubular ,member 13, isprcvided with l. a fuel' outlet'l, withits `outward end counteisunk or iiared, asshowna't 7, for the the escaping` oill his outletlG is ccmt-rolled by a suitable valve '18,'1andgthis valvejlS` is connected with the movable cere or armature -19 of the soienoidfAj., The expanding coiled spring 20`hasvits lower end in' engagement with the 'ipper'end of the core 19, and its upper end engagement with the cap 21 of the solnoid,thus Aexerting a'; continued closing pressure on thevaIveflS. "When'an 'elec'- tr1c 'currentl ispassfeil through thei'coilG of' the solenoid, the cDre19i-is lifted, thus 'ulb seating the'valve 418.y A'll'iedistance that the valve shall be lifted justable screw 22.

Thel oil passesy into-the tubular membern 13, throughs. pipe 23. -Thewoilis ltaken from a supply tank 24gy by apumpj25 and forced into a pressure tank-26. y IFI-om thisjtank 26,'

' it'passesinto the tubular member 13, and is feature of placing the commutator thereunder pressure,` `peerably about fourv hundred pounds. The fiowfoi 'Icilgfunder.l presslirezirom thetank 26 vto'vthe??tubular v member "13 isf Y controlled by? a 'valve 27." It

'will be' understood, offco'urs'e, .thatftrhe pump 25 will be 'Qperated bygthe engine 1.l

tioneda'djusta le. member 111,'Fand it also has shaft.2,9 revolyes onlyvhalfasl fast as them crank shaft (not shown) ofthe engine. This n a shaft timed tof"revolve, lais stated, is so wh-known and understoodjby those yskilled in that' iurthr'er'f description or; illustration is is contrelldjby an ad withgthe contact 33v outward. Athls art' deemed .unnecessary for the understanding of the present invention. l

l vReferiing'n'ow to Fig. 2, the member 11, of thecommutator is provided witha plurality of4 electrical contats 30, -there being `70 one for each cylinder' of the engine. As here shown, there .are 'six of these contactsI and each of the contacts are respectively electricall connected with the wire fastening mem ers 31. These wire fastening members are respectively electrically connected bythe wires 32 with the respective solenoids A of the respective cylinders of the engine. The contacts 30 are Hush with the surface of the non-conducting member 80 11, and they are' triangular in shape to .pre-l videan increasing width` of surface toward. l bnc'4 end, anda decreasing width of, surface.

n toward the other end. As here'shown, they are 'triangular in shape for accomplishin 85 that purpose and withA the broadest end o the triangular nearest the axis 'of the member 11.1 However, this specific' construction of the contacts and the speciic arrangement ofthe contacts may beva'ried'and changed 90 without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, so long as thecontacts are so positioned and sol shaped that `they have a surface which increases in width or length in one direction and decreases'in width and 95 length in the other direction, lthe-'object of which will be explained presently. This member llis loose on the shaft 29 and does not' rotate therewith. The member 28 Ais keyed to the shaft 29 and rotates therewith. l100 This'member 28 carries an adjustable electrical contact 33, which projects toward and is adapted to 1bear upon the contact face of the member 11. As the member 28 is rotated Q by the shaft 29, engages 'the contacts 30, and this successively opens and closes the respective circuits to the respective solenoids A of the cylinders 1 ofv the' `engine. When the ^circuit is closed throughvthe contact 33 and one of the con- 1'1Q tacts 30,. and core 19 of the solenoidin that j circuit is lifted and oil is admitted through f the openin 16, under pressure, asabove stated. This `contact 33is radiallyadjust"-l v"able von the member 28 to be moved in-and 1151- DIQS 'position and/a,- spring. 371 no mall;1 F130* holdsgthe contact 33fagainst the face of the' menrbe'rll Rotating with the shaft 29alnd a 'lejtliereon lis a co1lar38, which-carries ^a wedgeshaped member 39. This -wed e5 shapedv member 39 isy adapted to. enter t e l125 slot 36. of themember 38 and by engaging a wheel 40 of the carrier34- forces the'carrier t v @As shown, the collar38 ismoved on the shaft 29-by ,a v yoke (il,A yoke'y entering^ an annular 130 thecontact 33 successively 105`- groove 42 made in the said collar. The yoke 4l is formed on one end of the bell-crank lever 43, and the other end of the bell-crank lever is connected by a rod 4.4 with any desired device for operating the collar 38.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the Contact 33 is in position to engage the narrow portions of the contacts 30, the valve 18 is lifted a short period of time and that the period of time that the valve is lifted and, therefore, the period of time and amount of oil admitted will be gradually increased as the contact 33 is moved toward the wide portion of the contacts 30. thus increasing the length of time that the electric current passes through the solenoid and the length of time that the valve is open, thus controlling the amount of oil permitted to pass by controlling the length of time the valve is open. As above stated. the distance the valve is permitted to open is controlled by the adjustable screw Q2. The screw having been adjusted to control the distance the valve shall open and, therefore. regulates the size of the opening through which the oil is to pass, the amount of oil permitted to pass through this adjusted opening is controlled by the commutator. The commutator controls it through the position of the contact 33 in respect to the contacts 30, as above explained, and the position of the-contact 33 in respect to the contacts 30 is controlled by the wedgeshaped member, and the wedge-shaped men ber in turn will be controlled by a governor, or other suitable devices or by hand. In this way the amount of oil or fuel admitted to the cylinders for each explosion is controlled electrically through the commutator,

and the time in the cycle of the engine that the oil is to be admitted is also controlled by the commutator by oscillating the member 11 through a suitable hand-operated or other device 45. The oscillation of the member 11 in one direction will cause the contact 33 to engage the contacts 30 later' in the cycle of the engine, and when oscillated 1n the other direction will cause the contact to engage earlier in the cycle of the engine and in this way the oil is admitted late or early in the cycle of the` engine just as an electrical spark in the spark-plug of the or-4 eral oil exits 16 and several controllingl valves 18 are connected with the solenoid so that a plurality of spaces instead in a single spray of each cylinder maybe provided.

When desired air under pressure may be admitted through a pipe 46, to the tubular member 13 and pass with the oil through the opening 16.

I do not limit myself to the construction herein shown, for it may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my present improvement. The construction here shown is only one of many mechanical expressions of the inventive idea and is int: lded to illustrate the broad inventive conception.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-` ent is* The combination with the cylinder of an explosive engine, of a fuel supply, an electric device controlling said supply, a com-' mutator comprising two parts, one part rotatively adjustable and carrying a triangularshaped contact, the other member rotatably driven by the engine and carrying a contact radially adjustable independent of the adjustment of said iirst mentioned part to engage the narrow or wide part of said triangular Contact, whereby the fuel can be admitted early or late with respect to the' cycle of the engine and the length of time fuel is supplied regulated independent of each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alx my signature in the resence of two witnesses. EXANDER WINTON. Witnesses:

HAROLD B. ANDERSON, W. S. McKiNsrnY. 

